Malappuram (Kerala) | Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) state general secretary P M A Salam on Saturday courted controversy after allegedly making a derogatory remark against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the Kerala government’s decision to sign the Centre’s PM SHRI scheme.

Speaking at a Muslim League conference in Vazhakkad panchayat here, Salam alleged that the central scheme aimed to promote a Hindutva ideology and propagate distorted versions of history.

Comparing Kerala’s decision with that of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he said, “CM Mamata ji said that even if the Centre gives Rs 10,000 crore, she would not allow such communal poison into West Bengal.”

He further alleged that the new education policy teaches distorted and false history and sidelines languages such as Arabic, Urdu, and English.

“It is reaching a point where only Sanskrit and Hindi will remain to be studied,” the IUML leader said.

CPI(M) Malappuram district committee condemned Salam’s remark, calling it “uncultured.”

The committee also demanded a public apology from him.

IUML, a key ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), has been protesting against the state government’s decision to sign the Prime Minister's Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) agreement with the Centre.

Currently, the state government has decided to freeze the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Centre following objections raised by its ally, the Communist Party of India (CPI).